2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Online Program

335337
Relationship between body mass index and body fat percentage, estimated by bioelectrical impedance in a sample of college students


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 9:10 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Olabode Ayodele, MPH, Ph.D, CHES, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
Cody Talley, BS, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: Body mass Index is an important indicator of adiposity. Although body mass index does not directly measure the percentage of body fat, it has been found to be a fairly reliable indicator of body fat measures in most people. However, body mass index can over-or-under estimate adiposity depending on certain circumstances. In this study, we sought to assess the relationship between body mass index and body fat percentage, the influence of age and gender on this relationship in a sample of college students.

Methods: A cross sectional study of 220 Indiana State University students comprising 81.4% female with a mean age of 20.9 (SD = 4.4) was conducted. Participants' body fat percentage was estimated from bioelectrical impedance analysis and the body mass index calculated from reported heights and weights. Pearsons' correlation coefficient (r) was calculated to assess the relationship between body mass index and body fat percentage. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the influence of age and gender on the relationship. Analyses were done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows version 22.

Results: Of the participants, 68.9% were white .The mean body mass index was 26.2 (SD = 6.36) and mean body fat percentage was 24.4 (SD = 8.9). There was a significant positive correlation between body mass index and body fat percentage in males (r = 0.82, p < 0.001; SEE = 5.35) and in females (r = 0.89, p < 0.001; SEE = 3.80). The influence of age and gender on the body mass index- body fat percentage relationship was significant (p < 0.001); with more effect from gender.

Conclusions: The study findings indicate that BMI strongly and significantly correlate with body fat percentage estimated from bioelectrical impedance analysis in this sample of college students. Our results reinforce the need to consider age and gender when using body mass index to predict body fat percentage or adiposity in a population.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Assess the relationship between body mass index and body fat percentage.

Keyword(s): College Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My research works focus on social and behavioral epidemiology. I teach Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3033.0: Epidemiological Research in Schoolsettings